Environment committee  Mr. Chairman, the approach we took to that component of the projected reductions was to begin with the provincial plans themselves. Where provinces had identified their own objectives for GHG reductions in their own jurisdictions we took that into account and factored that into the overall target and the components that would get Canada to that target.

Environment committee  Yes, I'll ask Mr. Latourelle to start on this.

Environment committee  We'll get the right colleague to answer that. Mr. Chair, if the member would permit me, I think it might be helpful to the committee just to clarify on the last point. I did interpret the question in terms of advice that we may have given to the Department of Finance and the minister in making that decision.

Environment committee  I can answer—

Environment committee  I can tell the committee, Mr. Chair, that following the decision in relation to that program, the department has not done an evaluation and release, publicly or otherwise.

Environment committee  In relation to the development of the regulations, I'll ask Madame Cléroux to elaborate a little on the process and the analysis that goes into that.

Environment committee  I think it's not in our estimates because it was not our program.

Environment committee  Well, I don't know that the decisions are made in exactly that way, Mr. Chairman. There is no question that the emphasis has been on mitigation, on doing the analysis and putting in place the regulatory regime to address the industrial emissions. That has been, without any doubt, the principal policy decision of the government in this climate change area.

Environment committee  Two, if I'm not mistaken.

Environment committee  I think this goes back to the previous question. I cannot share with the committee advice that may have come to the Minister of Finance or discussions that were held within cabinet on the priorities that are made in the budget process.

Environment committee  To the very best of my knowledge, Chair, no, there weren't.

Environment committee  I'll ask our ADM of science and technology to deal with that.

Environment committee  Mr. Chairman, it's hard for us to discuss the advice and analysis submitted to the Minister of Finance or to our minister respecting budgetary decisions. Would Transport Canada and others have been directly involved with that program?

Environment committee  I'll try to answer your question, and my colleague, the assistant deputy minister for Science and Technology can then supplement that. According to the system we operate under, it is hard to guarantee expenditures for future years. That depends on the decisions of government and Parliament.

Environment committee  Do you want to comment on this?